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Hail to the Chief: Precipitation Grows Violent in Missouri

Towards the end of April, the St. Louis area of Missouri received some seldom-discussed but entirely destructive weather in the form of a massive hail storm.

What ended up being a hugely expensive and disastrous storm began with strong wind gusts on April 28. These escalated and one such gust blew over an outdoor party tent at a St. Louis bar. As a result of this, one man was killed and over a hundred were injured. While wind damage was not widespread, hail damage affected a large part of the region with huge perforations and dents hammered into cars and roofs throughout.

According to the Associated Press as reported by local St. Louis news web site kmov.com, “the number of insurance claims resulting from the damaging hail storm could top 100,000” and that “body shops are backed up for weeks and contractors are going door-to-door in some neighborhoods.”

While businesses specializing in auto glass repair and roofing are taking literally hundreds of calls–almost a month later–in regards to the hail storm on a daily basis, those receiving visits at their front door from repair companies looking to offer their services, should be aware – there are always at least a few scammers among the honest contractors who choose to advertise their services this way.

In the vein of scamming, if a contractor appears on a doorstep after a major weather disaster such as this Missouri storm, it’s crucial to keep one’s guard up and not sign any contracts until research is done. Yes, the worker at the door seems kind, genuine, and truly concerned. But this type of rouse is a career for some people and it’s absolutely best to Google company names, ask for references, confirm they are insured, and speak with satisfied customers before committing to using anyone–doorstep pop-in or not.

A major reason why there are so many insurance claims and people in need of repairs in the first place, after the April 28 storm, is two-fold. First, hail simply isn’t that common. It’s not an uncommon form of precipitation, per say, but it just doesn’t hail enough for people to really be prepared at any time for a hail storm. Second, there’s really not a whole lot one may actually do to prepare for hail. It can come in such small sizes that it’s almost indistinguishable from rain and it can be the size of baseballs, like in Missouri last month … or even bigger!

If a chunk of ice the size of sporting equipment hurls itself at a car, that car is going to be damaged no matter how tough and impenetrable it’s built. The same goes for a roof under similar duress. There’s just not much to be done in preparation for avoiding hail damage. When hail hits a garden, holes will be ripped through leaves and petals, the soil will be flooding with melting globules, and pricey landscaping may be ruined due to craters splattered throughout yards and properties. It’s pretty unavoidable.

Those who are filing damage claims in the wake of the hail have done just about all they can do to fight hail damage–making sure they’re insured enough to repair and rebuild.